Next up on October 5, 2026: Cuban jazz pianist Manuel Valera. "relentless and blistering at the keyboard"
The New York Times
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Manuel Valera kicks off Season 13 at the Decatur House Museum, followed by the acclaimed pianist
William Hill III, followed by the Italian virtuoso
Simona Premazzi , and then Village Vanguard pianist/arranger
Adam Birnbaum. The recent
Arts Up Next interview series featured the composer/pianist John McGinn, who spoke of his life-long association with the compositions and performances of John Adams, composer of the operas
Nixon in China and
Doctor Atomic. As those who have attended the performances know, the concerts themselves not only feature the top artists of the day, but enable the audience to engage with the artist and with other audience members. Many friendships have thus developed over the years.
Burnett Thompson has allowed music to draw him into countless corners of the planet, from the mountains of Yunnan, China, the mews of London, cellars of Vienna, medinas of north Africa, and back to the alleys of Beijing. He has collaborated with Lorin Maazel, Arturo Sandoval, Alex Blake, the Manchester String Quartet, cellist Han-Na Chang, and directed a host of remarkable concert series, including Castleton in Performance, Hill Center Concert Series, Jazz on Jackson Place, the Foggy Bottom Chamber Ensemble, and Piano Jazz at the Arts Club. Recent projects have included Autumn in Yunnan, ethnic music of southwest China, and Reformation, a fresh take on 15th century secular and sacred music of middle Europe. Burnett played a large role in exposiing Chinese jazz and traditional performers to the American audience.
New York Times critic Tim Page described his recent
American Rhapsody album: unfailingly musical, varied and exploratory, he plays scarcely an extraneous note.
American Rhapsody, his collaboration with the bassist Alex Blake and tabla player Hamid Habib Zadah, serves to remind us that America has always been a rich and fascinating melting pot, a reminder we need more than ever.”